Concentrator



April 20, 1937. H. E. T. HAULTAIN 2,077,476

.CONCENTRATOR Filed July 10, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV ENT UR A'ITY April 20, 1937. H. E. T. HAULTAiN CONCENTRATOR Filed Jilly 10, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j D T 3 m 66M) QM, 3 Ai f a a V/ m fl rhm UL fi Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONCENTRATOR Herbert E. T. Haultain, Toronto, Ontario, Canada This invention relates to concentrators, and my object is to devise simple apparatus of this character by means of which small quantities of heavy minerals may be recovered from a mixture of lighter minerals, particularly when the particles are very small.

I attain my object by providing a tiltable carrier which is so suspended that it may be moved sidewise and longitudinally. On the carrier is mounted a transversely concaved pan to receive the material to be treated and to which motion is imparted by the carrier, whereby the particles of the material move towards the median line of the pan and the heavier particles move towards one end thereof.

The constructions are hereinafter more fully described and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of my apparatus;

2 a section thereof on the line 2--2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a front end elevation;

Fig. 4 a rear end elevation;

Fig. 5 a cross section of the pan;

Fig. 6 a cross section of a modified shape of the pan; and

Fig. '7 a cross section of a further modification of the pan.

in the drawings like numerals of reference inclicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

l is a carrier frame having two pairs of uprights 2, 2 at opposite ends thereof on which the opposite ends of a carrier 3 are so suspended that the carrier may be moved longitudinally and sidewise. Preferably the upper ends of each pair of uprights 2, 2 are connected by a cross bar 4, l and the cross bars carry flexible suspension devices 5, 5 the devices 5 being connected directly to the carrier and the devices 5* to a cross member 5 secured to the carrier. To hold the devices 5, 5 taut, springs 6, 6 are connected with the carrier frame I and with cross pieces 5' 6 which are secured to the carrier 3. On the carrier is removably carried a pan 1 which has a transverse concavity in its upper surface and is tapered longitudinally.

To the pan is imparted a longitudinal percussive motion by means of a rotating snail cam 8 which is secured to a shaft 8 journalled on the carrier frame I for engagement with the rear end of the carrier 3. The latter is moved longitudinally to contact with the cam 8 by means of a suitably guided cable 9 having a spring 9 connected intermediate the ends thereof. One end of the cable is secured to the carrier 3 and the other end is adjustably attached to the carrier frame I so that the tension of the spring may be varied to vary the intensity of the percussive effect. Preferably, the free end of the cable is Wound on a spindle or drum l0 carried on the frame and provided with a crank handle so that the tension of the spring may be readily varied. By increasing the tension of the spring the speed of the carrier 3, and thus the force of the bump received by the end thereof, as it travels from the high portion to the low portion of the cam 8 will be increased. This percussive motion results in the heavier particles being segregated at the narrow end I of the pan 1. The cam shaft 8 is driven by pulleys and a belt I I from an electric motor I 2 mounted on a lateral extension l of the frame I and provided with a rheostat l2 for varying the speed of the motor.

A side shaking motion is imparted to the pan by means of cranks l3 secured to opposite ends of a shaft [4 journalled on lateral extensions l I of the carrier frame I. To one of the cranks is connected one end of an arm IS the other end of which is connected by a universal joint or a loose pivotal connection to the extension l so that the crank end of the arm will travel in a closed orbit. The arm is provided with a series of notches I5 any one of which is adapted to receive a hook l6 on one end of a cable Hi, the other end of which is connected with the cross piece 6* and thus with the carrier 3. The cable l6 thus draws the carrier in one direction and a tension spring ll connected to the carrier at the side opposite the cable moves the carrier in the opposite direction and holds the hook Hi in engagement with any desired notch I5 The stroke may be readily varied by shifting the hook to a fresh notch. The crank shaft I4 is driven by pulleys and a belt l8 from an electric motor l9 mounted on the extension l and provided with a rheostat l9 for varying the speed of the motor. To the other crank I3 is connected one end of another arm IS the other end of which is connected by a universal joint or a loose pivotal connection to the extension I This arm I5 is connected by a hook Mi and cable IS with the cross piece 6 and thus with the carrier 3. Another tension spring I! is employed to move the carrier in the direction opposite that caused by the last mentioned arm l5. It is obvious that by shifting the hooks Hi to different notches l5 that the side stroke of one end of the carrier may be varied relative to the side stroke of the opposite end thereof and that either hook l6 may be disengaged from its arm I5 if desired. Of course the width of the cam 8 is such that the end of the carrier will maintain its engagement with the cam during the side shaking motion of the said end.

The carrier frame I is fulcrummed intermediate its ends at 2D on a support 20 so that the pan 1 may be tilted to any desired angle relative to the horizontal. This movement of the frame is regulated by a cable 2| which is secured to one end of the frame, guided round suitable pulleys 2| carried by the support, and wound on a drum 2! carriedon the extension l of the frame;

The material to be treated is placed in the pan l, liquid is constantly supplied by a valve controlled spout 23 ,to the narrow end of the pan, and any suitable means for drawing off or removing the surplus liquid at the wide end of the pan may be employed. The percussive effect separates the particles of the material longitudinally of the pan according to their size and according to their specific gravity. The side shaking motion causes the particles to move towards the center of the transversely concaved pan so that the difierent concentrates arrange themselves along the longitudinal center line not only according to differences in characteristics but to differences in size. By regulating the intensity of the percussive effect, the speed of the cam 8, the speed of the cranks l3 and by varying the speed thereof relative to one another during the treatment to suit the mixture being treated, very fine separations of different minerals have been determined with my apparatus.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6, and '7 it will be noted that the pan may be curved in cross section,

throughout its length, or the concavity may be formed by making the pan V shaped in cross section, or V shaped at the narrow end and curved at the wide end.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A concentrator comprising a carrier flexibly suspended at its opposite ends to move freely in mam a substantially horizontal plane; a shallow trans" versely concaved pan carried by the carrier; means for applying a succession of blows to the carrier in a direction longitudinally of the pan; means including a crank for shaking the pan transversely, an arm having one end pivotally connected with the crank and the other end pivotally connected with a stationary part so that the crank end of the arm will travel in a closed orbit, the arm having a plurality of notches; and aconnecting member having one end secured to the carrier and the other end provided with a hook adapted to be received in any one of the notches so that the extent of the transverse movement imparted to the pan may be varied by shifting the hook to a fresh notch.

2. A concentrator comprising a carrier flexibly suspended at its opposite ends to move freely in a substantially horizontal plane; a shallow transversely concaved pan carried by the carrier; means including an electric motor for applying a succession of blows to the carrier in a direction endwise of the pan; means including an electric motor and a crank for shaking the pan transversely; an arm having one end pivotally connected with the crank and the other end pivotally connected with a stationary part so that the crank end of the arm will travel in a closed orbit, the arm having a plurality of notches; a connecting member having one end secured to the carrier and the other end provided with a hook adapted to be received in any one of the notches; a rheostat connected with the first mentioned motor for varying its speed; and a rheostat connected with the second mentioned motor for varying its speed whereby the number of endwise blows or transverse shaking motions imparted to the pan per minute may be readily varied and the extent of the transverse movement imparted to the pan may be varied by shifting the hook to a fresh notch.

HERBERT E. T. HAULTAIN. 

